Getting help for football-related concussions

Football isn’t just popular for its epic plays and competitive spirit. Concussions have landed somewhere in the forefront of what football is known for recently, but not necessarily because more concussions have been occurring in the sport. Injuries like concussions make easy news, and the media attention questioning the safety of the sport has even led to lawsuits over the past several years.

Ohio State University recently hired Dr. Russell Lonser to conduct a concussion research project in his position as Department of Neurological Surgery at OSU, according to Toledo Blade. OSU’s purpose in beginning the multidisciplinary concussion work group study is to follow subjects such as Buckeye football players, and others, beyond college graduation.

Instituting this study coincided with the sweep of attention made by the media, regarding football injuries such as concussions and the like. Knowing that the NFL has accrued a total of 4,000 concussion-related lawsuits from previous NFL players can help put into perspective that concussions in football are nothing new. In fact, it shed a new light on the dangers of the game and could have potential consequences for the sport’s future.

As the chief of neurological surgery at the National Institute of Health, Lonser was in charge of a study on Junior Seau’s brain, a former NFL and OSU linebacker who committed suicide. This gives him ample understanding of the sport’s hazardous nature to its football players. He found indications of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, in Seau’s brain. This is a degenerative brain disease found in patients with multiple injuries to the head. Many other football players have similar signs of this disease.

The concussion injuries studied within the NFL are not limited to professional players, unfortunately. High school football has the potential to be just as dangerous for its young players, and as a parent, it is important to know the care your child would benefit from in any situation. Upper cervical chiropractic is a top choice for any concussion sufferers. We specialize in the uppermost vertebra beneath the skull. With our expertise, we will be able to assess whether there are any imbalances or misalignments that could be disrupting the body and brain connection or causing pressure to build up on the brainstem. If you or someone you love has suffered a concussion or impact from contact sports, call us today to schedule a consultation.